Dr. Ettienne Coetzee
Dr. Ettienne has the following Educational Qualifications:
Fellowship in the College of Anaesthesia – FCA(SA)
University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
FCA(SA) Part I and II Completed October 2016
(single attempt) – Colleges of Medicine of South Africa
MMed (Anaesth)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery – MBChB
University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
December 2008
His Notable Achievements includes;
• Academic bursary for excellent achievement
• Golden Medal for Medical Terminology (2004)
• Member of the Golden Key International Honour Society (2004 – current)
• Exceptional academic achievement reward in 2003, 2004, and 2006
• Graduation distinctions for Neurology, Anaesthesiology and Urology
Dr. Ettienne matriculated from John Vorster Hoer Tegniese skool, were he matriculated with an average in the high 90’s with a mark of 99 for mathematics
His time in Port Elizabeth as an intern, community service and medical officer doctor made him intimately aware of the severe lack of resources that a developing country has access to. He subsequently moved to Cape Town to complete a specialisation in anaesthetics, where his love and passion for mathematics could be used in a way to develop a product that can be easily obtained and used in a South African setting with the resources we do or don’t have available (such as electricity).
The advancements in medical technology have developed rapidly over the last few years. One of the pitfalls we face as a country, is that implementation of the best and most up-to-date strategies (which Ettienne feels is the right of every human) is often too expensive in many ways make it feasible. to make it feasible. Seeing this gap and the need it created, Ettienne had the unique experience of combining his training and love of maths in the best way.
He invented a “Target Guided Injection” pump – a device used by anaesthetists. The details are beyond my level of understanding, but essentially it has a user-friendly interface that allows you to enter the patient’s details, the drug used, the depth of anaesthesia required and any other relevant details that will then plot out the management for that patient, for optimal management, at a fraction of the cost of what is available on the market.
The innovation hub of the University of Cape Town supported his patent application and to date, he has received a confirmed patent from Britain and the patent is pending from the United States. There is no reason it should be denied, but nevertheless, it’s still pending. He has spent years learning to code, bought a 3D printer and designed and printed the prototype himself. He believes in this product and how it would positively change the lives and management of both healthcare workers and their patients in South Africa and be the pilot implementation for other low and middle-socioeconomic countries.
He has taught and presented at many international congresses, hoping to empower and invest in people of similar mindsets who are looking to serve their countries to make things better for everyone. The most recent was the All-African Anaesthetics Congress hosted in Rwanda in 2022, where he presented the application of his design and the ways in which it would modify and improve current approaches in a developing world.
He currently serves as the president-elect for PACSA association (Paediatric Anaesthesia Community of South Africa) and is passionate about teaching in his daily work at government hospitals and at congresses, both national and international.
He has published articles in internationally accredited academic journals and is currently contributing to a chapter in a textbook which will serve as a resource for future anaesthetists. His career progression and academic contributions are all listed below:
Employment History and Experience
2017 March – Present
Name of Employer: Western Cape Department of Health
Post: Consultant in Anaesthesia
Hospital: Groote Schuur Hospital (and surrounding)
Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine
2013 May – 2017 February
Name of Employer: Western Cape Department of Health
Post: Registrar in Anaesthesia
Board Certified Post Number: C39-01-39
Hospital: Groote Schuur Hospital (and surrounding)
Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine
Notable Achievements:
• Cardiothoracic Registrar of the Year – 2015
• Registrar of the Year award – 2016
2013 January – May
Name of Employer: Western Cape Department of Health
Post: Medical Officer in Anaesthesia
Hospital: Mowbray Maternity Hospital
Duration of Employment : 2013 (January – May)
2009 – 2012
Name of Employer: Department of Health Eastern Cape
Most Senior Post : Medical Officer
Hospital : Port Elizabeth Hospital Complex
Duration of Employment : 2009 – 2012
Special Courses Completed
Ultrasound Courses under USABCD.org – Prof Erik Sloth (2014 – 2015):
• Basic Focused Assessment of Transthoracic Echocardiography (FATE)
• Advanced FATE
• Basic ultrasound guided peripheral nerve blocks and regional anaesthesia
• Ultrasound guided vascular access
• eFAST and Lung emergency diagnostic ultrasound
ECMO Workshop WCIM Congress – 2018
Clinical Trial “Basic GCP” (Good Clinical Practice) UCT – 2018
Introductory course in Laboratory Animal Science UCT – 2017
Transoesophageal Ultrasound Course UCT – 2017
Web CMS Drupal website content manager course – 2014
Basic Assessment and Support in Intensive Care course – 2013
Aviation health care provider course – 2012
Diploma(SA) in anaesthesia – 2012
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Course – 2012
Basic Life Support Course – 2011
Basic Surgical Skills Course – 2010
Dr. Ettienne has participated in the following courses as a trainer and instructor:
• Vascular Society of South Africa – Speaker on Perioperative Myocardial Injury – October 2018
• PACSA – TIVA Workshop trainer and co-organiser – November 2018
• PACSA – Speaker on Paediatric Sedation – November 2018
• Annual Anaesthesia Congress at Mauritius – Speaker and presenter 2018
• South African Society of Anaesthesiologists (SASA) Annual Congress 2018 – Target Controlled Infusion and Total Intravenous Anaesthesia Workshop – Workshop Co-ordinator, chair and lecturer.
• Total Intravenous Anaesthesia Refresher Course – Southern Anaesthetics Private Practice 2017
• Total Intravenous Anaesthesia Refresher Course – ACT Private Practice 2017
• Course organiser and chair: Advanced Total Intravenous Anaesthesia course at Groote Schuur Hospital 2016
• Advanced Pharmacology workshop Groote Schuur Hospital 2018 – Organiser and lecturer.
• Part I Anaesthetic Refresher Course 2018 – Cape Town
• Basic FATE course at the Durban South African Society of Anaesthesiologists (SASA) meeting (2015)
• Basic FATE course at Cape Town Groote Schuur Hospital as part of the USABCD training course (2015)
• Point of Care Ultrasound – International Symposium of Student Surgical Societies Symposium (2014)
He also participated in the following courses:
• Lecturer for FCA Part II candidates since 2016
• Groote Schuur medical exchange student lectures since 2016
• Anaesthetic Nursing Course 2015
• Anaesthetic Nursing Course 2014
• Nurses’ Update meeting at the SASA meeting 2013
Publications 1. In collaboration with authors from Pennsylvania, USA, he participated in producing a case conference article that recently got published in the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia (Patel PA, Ghadimi K, Coetzee E, Myburgh A, Swanevelder J, Gutsche JT, et al. Incidental Cold Agglutinins in Cardiac Surgery: Intraoperative Surprises and Team-Based Problem-Solving Strategies During Cardiopulmonary Bypass. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. Elsevier; 2016;1–9.) This case conference required novel approaches to team based problem solving strategies regarding complications occurring during cardiac anaesthesia.
2. In collaboration with surgical colleagues, a poster for the ENT/SASLHA/SAAA Congress 2016 was presented. (Congenital Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis as a Rare Cause of Acute Airway Obstruction from OSAS Related Cardiac Failure).
3. Case report: Smartphone software rescuing a failed target controlled infusion during routine surgery. The article is currently being reviewed by a co-author for publication. Target journal – British Journal of Anaesthesia
4. South African Perioperative Research Group (SAPORG) member and participant in the publication investigating National priorities for perioperative research in South Africa (Biccard BM, Alphonsus CS, Bishop DG, Cronje L, Kluyts HL, Kusel B, et al. National priorities for perioperative research in South Africa. South African Med J. 2016;106(5):485–8.).
5. First author: Incidence of myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery: Experience at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
6. First author: Myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery: Time to shed the ignorance.
7. Co-investigator. Dabigatran in patients with myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MANAGE): an international, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.
8. Co-Investigator: Prevention of Respiratory Insufficiency after Surgical Management (PRISM) Trial. Ongoing recruitment.
9. Co-Investigator: POISE-3 – awaiting approval.
10. Co-Investigator: BETTER Study – Investigation of pre-operative haemodynamic optimisation in an attempt to improve BNP targets and its effect on perioperative outcomes
11. Reviewer for South African Journal of Anaesthesia and Analgesia
The entire concept behind the invention of his TGI pump was to improve the experience and care of persons accessing health care in the public sector. Having worked in the Eastern Cape, where knowledge and technology are all in high demand and in short supply, the aim of his pump was to cover the gap for both knowledge and cost-effective equipment. If all things go according to plan, it would be a device that is developed in South Africa, by South African people and resources. IT would be maintained and fixed by South Africans, thereby creating opportunities in more than just health care, but in engineering, production, maintenance and distribution. It’s a truly South African product and could potentially be shared with other low and middle-income countries in need.
His passion for the best care for any and all persons including the most vulnerable of all: the children of our country. He frequently works at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, where his gentle demeanour puts both the child and their caregivers at ease. He goes out of his way to create a calming and safe environment for them, even if it means sitting outside with them to eliminate the fear of a hospital.
He leads innovation and novel ideas. His intellect and understanding are sought after and his ability to share his passion and knowledge in a very real and comprehensive way with people from all walks of life is admirable. He is admired by all his colleagues and always finds time to help those in need. It is a pleasure to work with him and he somehow creates opportunities to be and do better through innovation and research in any situation he is confronted with. His opinion of the high demand of need in the public sector only serves as a motivation to find solutions rather than complain.
He aligns strongly with the belief that education is a powerful tool one can use to change the world (Nelson Mandela). His approach of teaching people to be and do better, will eventually have a ripple effect that would spread throughout the country and eventually world.
Ettienne is someone very special and although I may be the one to fill in this nomination, more than one heart is with me in honouring him.
Ettienne is the youngest of 5 children and grew up as the “laat lammetjie”. He was challenged from a young age to strive to be better, to keep up with his siblings. He was close with his maternal grandfather, who encouraged him to explore the ways of the world and how things work. His love of mathematics and innovation was cultivated through their adventures.
His mother was a teacher, and his dad was a pastor at their community church. Life was lived hand to mouth and the meaning of community was embedded from a young age. He and his grandfather would take photographs together and visit museums (free to pensioners and young children) and Ettienne was described as having endless wonderment.
On many occasions he would take apart electric cars, mechanical toys, and anything he could get access to, to find out how things work.
In many instances, he would make improvements and put them back together. It would often be a coveted object thereafter.
He had an experience as a patient when he was a teenager and the time he spent in the hospital was a positive one, exposing the ways he could contribute to society in a beneficial way (due to confidentiality reasons, I can’t go into detail)
He has grappled with the concept of injustice, and again he aligns himself with another principle portrayed by Madiba: “Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice”. He has had many opportunities to move to another country, or to move into the private sector but he has stayed because he believes that to make a difference you must model the difference.
He does this in a humble and awe-inspiring way and leaves one (and many, many students) feeling inspired to build and invest in South Africa, to be and do better and ultimately for the equality and best access to health care for all, regardless of socioeconomic status or any other factor.